Support from your training partners

[Lisa]

I train in an untraditional type of MA school. There is no rank in the adult class, just an unbelievable amount of encouragement from my training partners. Even between the kids and the adults. You often see the adults sparring with the kids at the end of class (especially during a belt testing ). Sometimes adults come early to help out in the kids classes or join in in a game of dodge ball at the end of the kids class. When I am training I often get encouragement from my partners who may be watching on the sidelines and I, in turn, try to help out when I am watching someone spar as well. I am truly blessed to be associated with such people. They have become my friends and are great role models for my girls. This is why I stay and train where I am. It is my sense of belonging that helps keep me training. Anyone else feel this way? What about in traditional schools where there is a belt "hierarchy"? How, if at all, is your the sense of "belonging" portrayed. How does everyone else feel about their training partners?

I welcome your views.

 

[loki09789]

I would say that, once you have hooked into a training group, the social aspect is the most powerful motivator that keeps people in a class. Artistic style, practicallity, fitness.... all tend to be secondary to the emotional reward of working hard, earning recognition and accomplishing tasks in a way that seems to make you distinct (not everyone does martial arts) and your training group feels like 'your group' that stands out or is 'special' in some way because of the shared misery/ecstasy of training.

This can lead to the dark path of 'self validation' if it is not recognized as only one aspect/reward of training. It can turn into "my school is cool and that mean that we do it the best" and that can create a strong tendency to get hostile or territorial in comparision/contrast discussions of schools and arts.

Sounds like you have a good, healthy group to train with, you are blessed.

 

[Phoenix44]

We have a belt ranking system. We also consider each other friends and dojo-mates. I don't think belts make any difference in the atmosphere.

 

[ppko]

We have a belt ranking system. We also consider each other friends and dojo-mates. I don't think belts make any difference in the atmosphere.

I agree there is always a core group of people and this is what we consider our family, everyone else is friends until they become core

 

[kenpo tiger]

Hi Nalia.

Our school is very small. It's a supportive atmosphere at all times. I'm usually the only woman in class, as I go at nighttime due to work, and my kenpo brothers see me as 'one of the guys'. I don't take that any way other than how it's meant, which is that they accept me on their level.

As to the kids. I teach the kids' classes, with and without our head instructor. It is indicative of the culture of our school that the parents don't drop their kids off. They stay to watch - especially the dads, who often bring a younger sibling so mom gets a break. There are entire families who train in our school as well, with dads bringing their teens to adult classes.

One other point. The average age for the adults in our school is 40s to early 50s, so we're mostly of a generation. The younger ones (the 20-somethings) are very mature and fit in seamlessly. KT

 

[karatekid1975]

Our school does have belt ranking, but regaurdless of rank, we help out whoever needs it, even with higher ranks. Some of the higher ranks will forget lower ranks stuff, so they ask a colorbelt to help them. Or the colorbelts that are learning new stuff will ask a higher rank to help. It goes both ways in my dojang.

Our dojang is a home away from home. We are a big family. We support one another, and we even have regular get-togethers outside the dojang. About 30 of us went bowling last week. We had a blast.

 

[mj-hi-yah]

This is why I stay and train where I am. It is my sense of belonging that helps keep me training. Anyone else feel this way? What about in traditional schools where there is a belt "hierarchy"? How, if at all, is your the sense of "belonging" portrayed. How does everyone else feel about their training partners?

I welcome your views.

Nalia I find that the sense of belonging is wonderful at our school. Our instructor is a very friendly and welcoming person. He has created an atmosphere in which success is celebrated. The students for the most part are very supportive of each other's efforts. We really do our best to be there for each other. One of my training partners (That'd be Chuck. Hi Chuck!) missed his friend's wedding to be at my recent belt promotion, and one of the guys flew up from Florida to be a part of the day. This told me a lot about how much they supported me, and how much they themselves felt a strong sense of belonging to our school. In our daily training we show respect for each other's knowledge and ideas. We generally do not train separately - high belts from lower belts. Everyone is mixed up and learns from, and with, each other. Our instructor would not tolerate "belt egos". Belonging is one of the most important reasons I train there. I think it would be difficult for me to go anywhere else after this...

BTW Nalia that is a really cute avatar!

 

[Flatlander]

This is a dynamic that, for the time being, I am completely missing out on because I'm training in private sessions right now. So I rely on my Martial Talk family to prop me up when I'm down, and give me the encouragement to keep it up.:asian:

 

[Lisa]

BTW Nalia that is a really cute avatar!

Thanks!
Someone sent me a whole bunch of pics like this. I just think they are really cool because they are all painted on a human hand.

 

[Kenpo Mama]

Both of my schools use the belt system, and i believe the belts do not effect the support you get or give to your training partners. It is through years of training at a school that you build a sense of "belonging". But even though one may experience a sense of "belonging" it takes a lot more than "high fives" and "oh yeah for you's" to be considered a training partner.

What makes a training partner supportive? Well IMHO a sense of reciprocity and anticipation of others needs in training; giving till it "hurts", till your partner gets it and expecting no less in return, going as live as you can, being the best dummy you can be - and honoring your training partner's limitations when they dummy for you. The sense of pride you feel when they finally get a tech to work, or when they pass a grading , knowing you were there with them every inch of the way and knowing they would feel the same for you. Learning from eachother each training session, regardless of any belt or "hierarchy". This to me is support from a training partner. I have been blessed with several such wonderful partners both male and female throughout my martial arts training and i consider myself extremely lucky.

Good Journey

Kenpo Mama :ultracool

 

[MichiganTKD]

Our organization uses the belt system. The black belts who are of the same rank as me are like my brothers-we will always help each other, whether in class or in life. The Instructors who are above me are like big brothers and uncles to me-I look to them for support and guidance. But we are not friends or buddies in the traditional sense of the word. The black belts who are under me are like little brothers or nephews-I help them when possible and give them support and guidance.

 

[Raewyn]

We have a belt ranking system also, and on grading days everybody is there cheering everybody on. On normal training nights, I have an excellent training partner, she would be what I call my technical advisor, she picks up technical stuff way quicker than i do and than shows me as many times as I need to pick it up. We support each other in so many ways (I hope when she reads this she agrees lol) We both have strengths and weaknesses which we help each other out in. The older people im the belt ranks are awesome expecially for help in things we dont understand completely, its no problem to go up to them and ask for advise. The other younger higher belt ranks tend to sort of stick to themselves, but thats just the age I think.

 

[Sarah]

Similer to what PPKO said, there defiantly is a core group of people at our Dojo also.

I have a group of people that I feel 'very' close to, I am a passionate/emotional (what ever you wont to call it) person and I feel very strongly about these people and look forward to seeing them and spending time with them everyday.

I think the people that support us out side the Dojo are also very important. My husband is very understand about my training, considering I spend more time with my MA friends training than I do with him.

 

[Dr. Kenpo]

Wish I had some. They get started all hot right away, then flake out.:disgust:

 

[sifu nick]

We are not a traditional school in the "strict" sense of the term. We do have the traditional courtesies in regards to respect and rank structure. With that being said our students treat each other like family. There is no animosity between Black Belts, higher ranks or beginners. Everyone helps one another out and gives advice as needed regardless of rank.

 

[Raewyn]

Keep yelling out your support, no one likes to be out yelled!!! Maybe than someone will take the hint, that its not all about themselves your there for each other!!